The best lies come from the heart
by Lizicia
Summary: "Because what is more harmless than a pregnant woman taking pictures in a park?" Or, Liz and Ressler work the pregnancy to their undercover advantage. Alternate scene for 'Alistair Pitt'.


**A/N: There was this gorgeous gifset of Diego and Megan smiling in-between the scenes and I just couldn't help myself.**

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Liz snaps away with the photos, not really focusing on anything particular, just waiting for the heads of the families to get to the park – as well as her cover.

"I still don't understand why she has to be here. She isn't even an agent."

The voice of the DEA agent cuts in her ear and she grinds her teeth a little bit, annoyed by that man and all the distrust he has conveyed with his eyes and his words.

"Because what is more harmless than a pregnant woman taking pictures in a park?"

Ressler steps in before she can respond with something scathing and she takes a deep breath, slightly unnerved by the way her whole body moves with it, including the quite noticeable roundness of her belly.

"Sorry I'm late, darling."

Ressler appears next to her without her noticing and she turns to him, offering a small smile as he leans closer to peck her cheek, as if this a habitual thing for them, as if this isn't the closest they've ever been without a life threatening situation having been the catalyst. And just as habitually, she leans closer to him, as if to confide something very special.

"I can see Erikssen arriving behind you," she says with a small smile on her face, looking like a blissed pregnant lady, whispering a secret to her husband.

Ressler laughs, almost without sounding forced and takes the camera from her hand, holding it perfectly to capture Eriksson and the fast-approaching Vacarro.

"We don't really need pictures of those two. Where is the man we really want to see?" Ressler's anxiety bleeds through a little bit, so she rests her hand on his arm.

"They're heading into the café."

Just like that, they see the two men heading into a smallish café and know that whatever will go down, will happen there, and Samar has little chance of actually hearing something.

And so, Liz makes a split decision.

"We're going to walk into the café and you're going to ask for some water because I'm not feeling well. Meanwhile, we can tape the conversation. Samar, I need you to cross us on the sidewalk."

"Copy that."

They start walking out of the park and Ressler follows her lead perfectly, putting his arm around her tenderly, just like someone who really loved the mother of their child would. She doesn't want to consider how much she really desires that.

"You're going to have to smile a bit more if we want to make this believable, you know."

She smirks a little bit at him giving her the speech about how to make it more convincing but when she sneaks a sarcastic glance at him, she's astonished by the genuine smile on his face, the openness and care.

He smiles like she's the sun and she feels her own lips answering in a gesture she's pretty sure she hasn't had reason to put on in a while.

So caught up is she in it that she almost misses Samar as she bumps into Ressler, spilling his coffee on the ground and putting a small recording device into his pocket.

She definitely doesn't miss the look Samar is giving her, half-warning, half-cautious and she can't figure out what Samar's signalling.

Ressler's hand goes to the small of her back as he helps her cross the road and it continues to feel like the most natural thing in the world.

"Okay, it's showtime in 3…2…1." His voice brings her back to reality just as he opens the door for her and ushers her in.

The three men at the table give them cursory glances but she pointedly doesn't look in their direction, instead focusing her energy on looking as tired and weary as possible which comes all too naturally for her.

"Hi, could we get a glass of water? My girlfriend is not feeling so well – she's pregnant."

Ressler's concern is sincere and the waitress who was eyeing them a bit cautiously – which makes Liz think that she might be in cahoots with the families or the matchmaker – softens a little bit.

"No problem. How far along is she?"

"Second trimester. The morning sickness is gone now but she's just so tired all the time." Ressler turns to her and places his hand on her stomach, making her startle a bit from the unexpected contact. "I keep telling her not to walk this far into the city just to meet me for a coffee break but you just do what you damn well please, don't you?"

His voice is soft and caring and he's still smiling; with an unexpected jolt, Liz finds herself thinking that this could be her reality. This, instead of bringing a child into a mess of complications and hardship, into a relationship which isn't a relationship and with all the sordid details that accompany it.

What if this could be the real thing? It is a dangerous path to take but her mind wants her to consider it. The warmth of his hand burns through her shirt and whether it's the baby – unlikely – or just her nerves, she feels a tiny fluttering inside.

The waitress smiles sympathetically and hands her a glass of water. "Take a seat, then. It's not easy being on your feet with another life inside of you."

The opportunity to get a detailed account of the conversation happening a few tables away cannot be missed, so they sit down. They can't talk while the device is recording, so she sips her water in silence, smiling at Ressler who's holding her hand and looking like the perfect father-to-be for all the world to see. She would be embarrassed to admit how much a part of her craves this, despite her insistence to the contrary. Sure, she does not wish to be having this baby now, under these conditions but she's forgotten how cared for pregnant women really can be, and how much she has craved for a simple contact like this, just a touch of a hand.

She doesn't know if Ressler realizes all of it or not but he takes out his phone, probably to give them an excuse for not to talk and fiddles with it a little bit. Before she's realized it, he takes a picture of her.

The men at the table have quieted and she sees Mads Eriksson stand to leave.

In character, she keeps her voice straight. "I do have a perfectly good camera, you know."

"Maybe I just wanted this picture of you all for myself."

For the life of her, she can't figure out if _he_ is in character too.

He gets up as he's surely heard the commotion behind them. "I should get back to work, honey."

She nods and gives a small wave to the waitress. "Thank you so much, I feel much better now."

"Sure thing. All the best with the baby."

They leave with Ressler's hand still on her back and her mind whirling. The DEA agent and Samar are talking about how they got the recording and a hint of what's been planned, though they didn't capture the entire conversation. Ressler doesn't say anything but when his hand falls away from her elbow, she feels the loss acutely.

He isn't smiling anymore and all she can see is the Agent, not the man who was just excited about becoming a father.

All she can think of, though, is only one question.

 _What if._


End file.
